Whether it is for business, church, events, or small gatherings, there’s nothing better than a cup of coffee. You don’t want a sleepy crowd; coffee can also be a conversational starter.
A coffee urn is typically used to brew coffee for a large group of people, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. So, what’s the best coffee urn to buy? Let’s take a look!
What is a Coffee Urn?
Since a coffee urn is pretty large, it’s a coffee maker that can brew a lot of cups in one go. It can also keep your beverage warm for longer. What makes this convenient is that it takes less effort to use it when compared to coffee pots or carafes.
Fill it up with water, place the brewing basket in its designated compartment, toss some coffee grounds, cover it, and turn it on. Wait for the indicator light to light up, and voila! You now have some freshly brewed coffee that can serve everyone.
Do coffee urns make good coffee?
Coffee urns generate the same consistency of coffee as any other form of coffee brewer or percolator; how you use it makes all the difference.
Whether or not the urn keeps the coffee warm can significantly impact the consistency over time. If the coffee becomes cold without the warmer feature, it will quickly become stale.
We recommend that you use either spring water or filtered water to make the best-tasting coffee.
Things to consider
- Size
Coffee urns can contain anything from 12 to 100 cups of coffee. As a result, the first thing you should consider when purchasing a coffee urn is the size. This, of course, will be determined by the number of cups you want to serve.
You may also want to consider the duration of your event. Does it take several hours of people coming back and forth to get some coffee? Then get a larger one! To estimate the size that you need for events like this, allot at least 3 cups per person.
Just remember that the bigger the coffee urn, the higher the price tag, and the more difficult transferring the coffee will be.
- Heating system
Ultimately, you have two choices: active or passive heating system.
The most common is the active heating system, where the urn keeps the warmth for as long as it’s plugged. On the other hand, a passive one functions like a thermos with insulation to keep what’s inside warm for longer.
An active heating system can keep your coffee warm for a lot longer. This article only reviewed urns with active heating systems.
- Coffee filters
Most modern coffee urns have a reusable and removable brewing basket built in. If you have an older model or a cheaper one that does not have one, you will need to buy disposable coffee filters.
Paper filters must be purchased for models that lack this functionality, which can be very expensive. As a result, consider purchasing a coffee urn with a reusable brewing basket. It is not only cost-effective, but it is also environmentally friendly.
Note that built-in filters require larger and more coarse coffee grounds to ensure proper filtration. You must also consider if the filter is removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
- Construction and materials
Aluminum coffee urns hold lower price tags and weight than their stainless steel competitors. While aluminum is lightweight, it does not retain heat as well as stainless steel. A double-walled stainless steel body is the best choice because it offers excellent insulation.
There are also cheap plastic urns on the market, but their longevity is questionable.
- Ease of use and cleaning
An easy-to-use and an easy to clean device is always worth the buck. Basic urn features you may want to consider are clear coffee or water level indicator and a lid that’s easy to remove. A good coffee urn should also have heat-resistant handles so you can move it around easily.
A lockable lid is also useful because it prevents spilling if you want to prepare your coffee in advance and then transport it to another location.
Regarding ease of cleaning, look for urns with a drip tray, dripless faucet, and dishwasher-friendly parts.
Review of the best coffee urns coffee maker
Top pick: Hamilton Beach 45 Cup Fast Brew Coffee Urn 40521
This is our top pick!
Regarding brewing rate, the Hamilton Beach 45 urn is one of the Best Coffee Urns. Unlike the previous ones, this one will make 45 cups of coffee in 28 minutes, with dual heaters to increase the brewing rate by about 30%. Furthermore, the heating control is flawless—no overheating.
The coffee level window helps you track how much coffee you have left or how much water you are adding. The light indicator that tells you when the brewing time is up is a nice touch.
It has an easy one-hand dispensing. Just press the lever with your cup, and that’s it! It also has cool-to-touch handles, a lockable lid, and a dishwasher-safe filter basket.
Hamilton Beach Dual-spout coffee urn
This is the only aluminum urn we are recommending. The only reason is that this urn has a unique feature that many other urns lack: dual spouts that allow two guests to drink coffee simultaneously.
This coffee urn can make 15-45 cups at a time and takes 30 minutes to brew. This is perfect for a large gathering.
Maxi-Matic Elite Gourmet 30 Cup
When it comes to providing excellent value for money, the Maxi-Matic CCM-035 coffee urn is difficult to beat. It has all the features on most high-end models at a very reasonable price. It is also very quiet and keeps your coffee warm all day.
It can serve up to 30 cups of coffee; it is fast brewing as it can brew a cup per minute with an indicator light that signals you when your cup of Joe is ready. Another thing I love about this is its two-way beverage dispenser that lets you fill a single cup easily.
It is made of stainless steel interiorly and exteriorly, ensuring durability. You’ll be able to handle the urn securely and easily thanks to the convenient twist-lock lid and cool-touch handles. F
furthermore, the urn’s 2-way high-flow dripless faucet dispenser allows you to fill a cup or a carafe quickly. You can also enjoy a spill-free experience with its twist lock lid. Its removable lid and coffee filter basket are both safe to throw into your dishwasher.
NESCO CU-50 Coffee Urn
The NESCO CU-50 (50 cups) is made of stainless steel inside and outside to ensure effective heat retention. Furthermore, the double wall insulates your beverage even more.
It has a brewing speed of one cup per minute with indicator light. It’s also easy to refill due to its water level markings. It comes with a locking lid and cool-to-touch handles for safe use. It is easy to clean with its drip-free spout, drip tray, and dishwasher-safe filter basket.
There is also a drip clay on the rim, which absorbs any coffee spills and splashes to keep your urn clean.
Waring Commercial WCU550
The Waring Commercial WCU550 55 Cup Commercial Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Coffee Urn brews easily, producing 25 to 55 cups in under 30 minutes. The Waring Commercial WCU550 is a top-rated kitchen appliance made of heavy-duty stainless steel.
For starters, it has a heating system that allows it to brew and keep the coffee warm. Another feature is a removable glass that allows you to see when the coffee is running low.
The fact that it can brew 25 to 55 cups of coffee in less than 30 minutes is particularly noteworthy. It has lights that indicate when it is turned on and when the coffee is ready.
110 Cup SYBO RCM016S-16B Commercial Grade Coffee Maker Urn
For larger catering functions, you may want to look into the 100-cup capacity SYBO coffee urn. It highlights safety with its commercial food grade stainless steel. With this, you can enjoy a high-quality non-drip spigot dispenser.
It only takes 40 minutes to brew 16 liters of coffee with an indicator light to signal that your brew is ready. It also has a clear window gauge, lockable lid, heat-proof handles, and removable stainless steel filter basket.
The largest one in our review is this Waring coffee urn that can brew up to 110 cups of coffee. It has a stainless steel build with a commercial grade dual heater. The rustproof material used guarantees that the urn is stain and rust-free.
Also, it has an easy-to-read water gauge, cool-to-touch dripless spout and handles, and a dishwasher-safe filter basket.
Final thoughts
There you have it! We hope we have helped you come to a step closer to helping you find the best coffee urn for your group.
FAQs
Do coffee urns need filters?
Can a coffee urn be used for hot chocolate?
Can you put apple cider in a coffee urn?
Can you use a coffee urn for tea?
How hot does a coffee urn get?
How much coffee do you put in a 30-cup coffee urn?
How much coffee do you put in a 50-cup urn?
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. Remember to support us by purchasing through the Amazon/Walmart/Impact Radius links provided. Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.
Editorial Staff
The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.
